Marijuana and cannabis-infused products are displayed for sale at Medicine Man marijuana dispensary, which opened as a recreational retail outlet Jan. 1, in Denver. / Brennan Linsley, AP

by John Bacon, USA TODAY

by John Bacon, USA TODAY

The new year got a little happier for pot smokers in Colorado on Wednesday as the nation's first retail outlets for recreational marijuana opened their doors.

"Marijuana does not have to be a burden to our communities," said Betty Aldworth, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. "Today in Colorado we shift marijuana from the underground into a regulated market."

The first sale, orchestrated as a news media photo opportunity, was made to Sean Azzariti, an Iraq War veteran who has lobbied publicly for legalization and says pot helps mitigate problems stemming from his post-traumatic stress syndrome. Azzariti, who served six years in the Marine Corps and two tours in Iraq, spent about $60 at 3D Cannabis Center for an eighth of an ounce of "Bubba Kush" and a pot-laden truffle.

"Today I was fortunate enough to be the first recreational cannabis purchase in the world," Azzariti tweeted. "We did it!!"

Aldworth said pot sales in the state are expected to reach $400 million this year. More than $40 million in tax revenue is targeted for public schools. Dozens of shops are opened or will open soon. She spoke of jobs, tax dollars and peace of mind for marijuana smokers.

But for many, the new law is all about fun.

"Honestly, I thought I'd never see the day," said Errin Reaume of Denver as she shared hits of marijuana at a 1920s-themed "Prohibition Is Over" party in downtown Denver.

There are, of course, limits. Sales are legal in only a handful of the state's 64 counties, along with Denver and less than a dozen other cities and towns. And Amendment 64, the state ballot issue that legalized pot, does not allow public pot smoking. Buyers - and users - must be at least 21 years old, and purchases are limited to an ounce at a time for state residents, a quarter of an ounce for out-of-state buyers. Many stores, concerned about supply, are limiting purchases even more.

Driving while smoking pot is illegal, as is driving under the influence of it. The limit: 5 nanograms or more of THC (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol, marijuana's active ingredient) per milliliter of blood.

Washington state will begin allowing retail sale of recreational marijuana this spring. Other states are considering it. Pot activists hope the marijuana experiment will prove that legalization is a better alternative than the costly U.S.-led drug war. Skeptics worry the industry will make the drug more widely available to teens, even though legal sales are limited to adults over 21.

Colorado set up an elaborate plant-tracking system to try to keep the drug away from the black market, and there are packaging, labeling and testing requirements, along with potency limits for edible pot.

There have been hiccups, however. Most recently, video aired by KUSA-TV showing preparations at one pot shop, Botana Care in Northglenn, showed employees licking wrapping papers as they made joints. It caught the attention of local viewers - and Aldworth.

"In a regulated market, that's simply not acceptable," Aldworth said. "The business that was filmed has already identified that it is in fact a problem. They've changed their practices and they are now sealing all of their joints exclusively with water."

Botana Care said workers never had to roll a joint for business before, so they were not clear on the rules. While there are no specific rules against licking joints, there are regulations saying adequate sanitation has to be maintained.

Aldworth said it's obvious that licking a joint is not sanitary. But she does not fault Botana Care, saying retailers are in uncharted territory.

"This is just another example of the kinds of learning that we can experience here and apply immediately," she said.

Aldworth said legal marijuana industries are expected to generate $2.34 billion in revenues nationwide, tens of thousands of jobs, and hundreds of millions in new tax revenue in 2014.

3D Cannabis boasts on its website of a 2,000-square-foot reception room with free refreshments and "garden viewing corridor" where customers can watch the product grow. The outlet says it is "currently growing 60-plus Grade A Strains in soil that are 100% organic, and we strive to always have a minimum of 30-plus Grade A perfectly cured strains on the shelf at any time."

Pot remains illegal under federal law, and the U.S. Justice Department is paying attention. The department has outlined an eight-point slate of priorities for pot regulation, requiring states to keep the drug away from minors, criminal cartels, federal property and other states in order to avoid a federal crackdown.

Denver International Airport placed signs on doors warning fliers they can't take the drug home in their suitcases.

"We understand that Colorado is under a microscope," said Jack Finlaw, lawyer to Gov. John Hickenlooper and overseer of a major task force to chart new pot laws.

A group of addiction counselors and physicians said they're seeing more marijuana addiction problems, especially in youths, and that wider pot availability will exacerbate the problem.

"This is just throwing gas on the fire," said Ben Cort of the Colorado Center for Dependency, Addiction & Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado Hospital.

Marijuana activists were hoping Colorado's grand experiment wouldn't be that noticeable after an initial rush of shopping.

"Adults have been buying marijuana around this country for years," said Mason Tvert, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project. "The only difference is that in Colorado they will now buy it from legitimate businesses instead of the underground market."